Those who can’t wait for spring and those who love the winter chill will both be appeased Thursday.
“It’s chilly now, but as our story has been most of this winter so far, you get some cooler starts in the morning and then it feels like springtime in the afternoon,” Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brian Monahan said. “You get two seasons in one day.”
Temperatures in the 20s and 30s Thursday morning will more than double in some North Georgia neighborhoods by the afternoon, he said.
Like on Wednesday, temperatures are again headed for the upper 50s and low 60s, according to Channel 2. The difference Thursday will be the thickening clouds in advance of the next wet weather system.
Monahan said North Georgia won’t really see a change until Friday afternoon, however.
“No rain chances today, and I think tomorrow morning's drive into work is going to be quiet,” he said.
Rain chances begin to inch up Friday afternoon, but he said any showers will be light and scattered. The chance jumps from 30% Friday to 90% Saturday as heavy rain and strong storms roll through, according to Channel 2.
The chance for severe weather also increases Saturday. Atlanta and areas to the west are under a Level 2 out of 5 risk for severe storms, and those just over the border in Alabama are under a Level 3 risk, according to the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center.
“This is a fairly high risk for the early part of January,” Monahan said.
Heavy rain and strong wind gusts are the primary concerns, but there is a possibility of an isolated, brief tornado, he said. Through Sunday night, an inch or more of rain is expected to fall.
“With those storms rumbling in on Saturday, we'll be warm with highs in the 70s,” Monahan said. “Sunday will be your best day of the weekend with highs in the 60s.
Metro Atlanta interstates are in decent shape to start the Thursday morning drive, but they may not be that way for long.
Volume is increasing across the city, according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center. For now, all major interstates, including the Downtown Connector, are delay-free.
With more congestion expected, now is a good time to hit the road, the Traffic Center reported at 6 a.m.
» For a detailed forecast, visit The Atlanta Journal-Constitution weather page.
» For updated traffic information, listen to News 95.5 and AM 750 WSB and follow @ajcwsbtraffic on Twitter.
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